Bendigo Addy
Millar leads Colbinabbin
COLBINABBIN Football-Netball Club has appointed Brent Millar as senior coach for the 2008 season.
The goalkicking midfielder first played for the Grasshoppers in the 2006 season, after stints in the Ovens and Murray League and with the Balmain Tigers in Sydney.
Millar replaces former Carlton footballer Damien Lock who will return to Eaglehawk next year.
Improving on last season’s grand final capitulation may be one of Millar’s more long-term goals, but in the interim his focus is on retaining a senior list that is in grave danger of unravelling.
Lock has taken key forward Sam Hill with him to Eaglehawk, meaning the Grasshoppers have lost their best midfielder and arguably their best forward little more than two months after the grand final.
Defender Tom Hill is likely to play A grade amateurs in Melbourne next year.
‘‘Obviously, losing Locky is a big setback, but we’d expect to keep the majority of our list,’’ Millar said.
‘‘I was only appointed on Friday, so I haven’t really had a chance to call around and see what the boys’ plans are for next year.’’
The 28-year-old is married to Colbinabbin A grade netballer Jess Cunningham and has recently started a building apprenticeship with senior assistant coach Rod Doak.
Despite previous employment with the Australian navy, Millar said he was unlikely to adopt a hardline approach to pre-season training when it begins on January 15.
Millar said that with solid support from his coaching team he was confident of performing both on and off the field.
The Grasshoppers will be striving for a finals berth again in 2008, but Millar expected stiff competition from several other clubs in his debut coaching season.
‘‘From what I’ve heard Mounts have recruited quite well.
Elmore should be tough again.
White Hills is a bit of a roughie with all the young blokes they had this year and Broadford, you can’t go past them,’’ he said.
Colbinabbin has reappointed John Vale as coach of the under-17s and expects to make an announcement about the reserves coaching position soon